Bell Telephone Science Hour produced this video in 1958, explaining how the production of CO2 from factories and automobiles is causing the atmosphere to warm, melting the polar ice caps, and causing the sea level to rise.

Teaching Tips

Teachers should embed this video in a presentation to create conversation about the history of atmospheric science and climate change.

Today we have data regarding the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, changes in air temperature, sea level rise, and ice cap melting that confirms the comments made by the scientist in the 1958 video.

About the Science

This video, produced during the International Geophysical Year in 1958, focuses on how increasing atmospheric CO2 through industrial processes will absorb more heat, raise atmospheric temperatures, and likely cause melting of the polar ice caps, resulting in sea level rise.

Comments from expert scientist: The short movie clip gives a feel of the important phenomena of Global Warming and climate change being perceived in 1958.

About the Pedagogy

The video demonstrates that the scientific community has understood for decades that increases in gases that trap heat can impact global temperatures and lead to "catastrophic changes in our environment." This video explains that CO2 from automobiles and factories could cause global temperatures to rise, melting ice caps and causing a rise in sea level.

Technical Details/Ease of Use

The video is of very good quality with a classic look and sound.

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Next Generation Science Standards
See how this
Video supports:

Middle School

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 2

MS-ESS2.D1:Weather and climate are influenced by interactions involving sunlight, the ocean, the atmosphere, ice, landforms, and living things. These interactions vary with latitude, altitude, and local and regional geography, all of which can affect oceanic and atmospheric flow patterns.

MS-ESS3.D1:Human activities, such as the release of greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels, are major factors in the current rise in Earth’s mean surface temperature (global warming). Reducing the level of climate change and reducing human vulnerability to whatever climate changes do occur depend on the understanding of climate science, engineering capabilities, and other kinds of knowledge, such as understanding of human behavior and on applying that knowledge wisely in decisions and activities.

High School

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 3

HS-ESS2.D1:The foundation for Earth’s global climate systems is the electromagnetic radiation from the sun, as well as its reflection, absorption, storage, and redistribution among the atmosphere, ocean, and land systems, and this energy’s re-radiation into space.

HS-ESS2.D3:Changes in the atmosphere due to human activity have increased carbon dioxide concentrations and thus affect climate.

HS-ESS3.D1:Though the magnitudes of human impacts are greater than they have ever been, so too are human abilities to model, predict, and manage current and future impacts.